Thursday, November 15, 2012

Where Meatloaf and The WAC Take Center Stage

Loyal Readers,

Well, I’ve learned my lesson – I take a week off and the
next thing I know the SEC is on the outside looking in, there is a major
scandal at the Pentagon, the clocks turned back an hour and the ACC became a
good football conference again. On second thought, to paraphrase Meatloaf, 3 out of 4 ain't bad.

Before our Denard-loving moderator starts serenading your
humble correspondent with "Paradise By the Dashboard Lights” let’s get to the
games (admit it America, you love the song and always sing along…”…let me sleep
on it, baby, baby, let me sleep on it, let me sleep on it and I’ll give you an
answer in the mor-or-ning…I gotta know right now, do you love me, will you love
me forever, do you need me, will you never leave me…”

Mississippi @ LSU
(-19) 3:30 eastern on CBS

LSU is a three score favorite in this game and I think they
cover easily. Coach Freeze has done well in his first year at Ole Miss but
there is a giant talent gap, the LSU offense is finally learning that the
forward pass is not only allowed, but encouraged, and I can’t see the Rebels
keeping it close on the Bayou (in the Bayou?) Speaking of the Bayou – isn’t that
where Forrest and Leuitenant Dan finally made their fortune in the shrimping
business? Don’t go against Forrest and you'll have one less thing to worry about when LSU wins easily.

LSU 42-10

BYU @ San Jose State
(+4) 10:30 eastern on ESPN2

The opening line on this game was BYU (-7) and has since
moved to the Cougars (-3) since your humble correspondent wasn’t the only one
who noticed that SJSU is a solid, solid football team. They rank 25th
in points allowed (at 20 per game) and their passing offense ranks 9th
in the nation at almost 326 yards per game. And I know BYU has a good defense
(surrendering only about 14 points per game) but their offense is middle of the
pack. Add in the daunting SJSU homefield advantage (and yes, I say that very
facetiously, although if the Spartan fans can’t get up for this game they
should just fold up college football in San Jose) and I see a California-style
WAC championship party breaking out. SJSU doesn’t need the points as they win.

SJST 24-10

Washington (-21) @
Colorado 1:30 eastern on FX

Our dear moderator has said it repeatedly this year –
Colorado is a bad, bad, bad football team. They can’t play defense. And while I’m
not sold on Washington against most teams, when they are playing a bad defense,
look for Keith Price to have a huge day as the Huskies roll.

Washington 49-17

Stanford @ Oregon (-21) 8:00 eastern on ABC

Now that the BCS title game is in their grasp, Chip Kelly
and the Ducks will leave no doubt that they belong. The offense gets it rolling
and keeps it rolling as the fighting Phil Knight’s win going away.

Oregon 56-21

GOTW

Utah State @ LA Tech (+3) 4:00 eastern on your computer (aka espn3)

No loyal readers, it’s not a misprint – I am going two deep on the WAC this week (does no one else stay up and watch these games on espn3?) Anyway, this is another curious line to me – it opened at LA Tech (-3) but has now moved to LA Tech getting three and I’m not sure why. Yes, Utah State is pretty good, but so is LA Tech. And yes, USU plays good defense, but they won’t be able to hold down Sonny Dykes’ offense and this game ends with LA Tech winning more of a shootout than the experts think.